Telephone system



1931- o. A. FRIEND ET AL 1,825,723 I TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed April 3.1929 Ln 0 A F RIE'ND INVENTORS W J. HE/rsM/rH Patented Oct. 6, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OTTO A. FRIEND, NEW YORK, N. Y., AND WILLIAMJ. HEITSMITH, OF RIDGEFIELD PAR-K, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICANTELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COM- PANY, A CORBOR-ATIONOIE NEW YORK TELEPHONESYSTEM This invention relates to telephone systems and particularly tomeans for controlling coin collection in automatic telephone systems,

An object of the invention is to improve and simplify the collection oftoll for fixer periods of conversation overa telephone connection. I

. Heretofore, systems have been provided for collecting toll at thezendof the conversation or periodically during the conversation. In thelatter'case, the collection of coins is either performed by meansautomatically actuated at predetermined intervals or by an operatorhaving access to the connection through a cord included in theconnection and equipped with manually controllable collecting means.

A feature of this invention is a system having means associated with atrunk whereby a signal is actuated atan operators position when apredetermined period of conversation over a connection including saidtrunk has elapsed, wherebythe operator may connect a cord circuit andatelephone set to thistrunk towarn a calling subscriber that the periodof conversation,forwhich a coin was originally deposited, has come to anend and that in case the conversation is tobe continued an additionalcoin must be deposited.

Another feature of the inventlonis a system having means in. the trunkwhereby, if

the calling subscriber deposits an additional coin and theoperatordisconnects her cord from the trunk, the signal is againactuated when the second predetermined period of conversation haselapsed and whereby this procedure may be repeated for each additionalpredetermined period of conversation.

Another feature is anarrangement whereby the signal is disabledand apreviously deposited coin is automatically collected each time theoperator associates her cord with the trunk in response to the lightingof the signal.

Another feature is an arrangement whereby cord circuit may be connectedby the operator to the trunk at another point to telephonically separatethe calling subscriber from the called subscriber without breaking downthe connection. This is for the purpose of permitting the operator toconverse with the calling subscriber regarding the deposit of anadditional coin and to prevent conversation between the subscribersuntil the required deposit'has been made. .7

This invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing whichshows a calling subscribers line provided with coin box equipment, atrunk circuit arranged in accordance with this invention, a line finderthrough which the calling subscribers line has access to the trunk, aselector associated with the trunk,-a connector, a called subscribersline to which a connection may beextended through theselector andconnector from the calling subscribers line and a portion of a standardcord circuit for connection to the trunk. The line -finder,-selector,connector, called subscribers lineand cord circuit are shown indiagrammatic form as any well-known telephone apparatus of these typesmay be employed in connection with the invention as illustrated in thetrunk. circuit The trunlrcircuit CT terminates at line finder- 4-throughwhich calling subscribers lines maybe connected to the trunk. Trunk CTalso terminates in-jacks 5 and 6 at an operators position A so that theoperator at this position may supervise the coin collection throughcords, one of which isshown in diagrammatic form at 7 Trunk CT is alsoarranged so that the collection-or refunding of a coin may beautomatically performed when a connection over the trunk is released.The connection. from the trunk CT may. be extended: over selector 10 andconnector 11 to thecalle d subscriber at 12 It should be understood thatthe line finder 4, selector 10 and connect'or 11 may be of anywell-known type commonly used in'the telephone art and have notbeenshown'in detail as the construction and circuit arrangements for theseswitches form no part of the invention.

A description will now be made in detail of theoperation of the trunk CTwhen a connection is extended thereover from the calling subscriber-at 1to the called subscriber at 12. When the calling subscriber at 1 takeshis receiver off the switchhoolr. the line finder 4' is actuated toconnect his line with trunk CT. As the circuit for extending theconnection to the trunk forms no part of this invention no descriptionwill be made thereof. It will be assumed, therefore, that on theestablishing this connection a circuit will be completed through thecalling subscribers loop for the operation of the usual pulsing relay inthe selector 10. This circuit may be traced as follows battery,left-hand winding of relay 15, upper make-before-break contacts of relay18, winding of polarized relay 16, upper armature and back contact ofrelay 9, upper outer armature and back contact of relay 30, upperarmature and back contact of relay 31, tip conductor of the trunk though the line tinder 4 and the loop closed through the subscribers setat 1, the ring conductor of the trunk through the line finder 4, lowerinner armature and back contact of relay 31, lower outer armature andback contact of relay 30, lower armature and back contact of relay 9,lower make-before-break contacts of relay 18 through the right-handwinding of relay 15 to ground. Means in the selector 10, which has notbeen shown, may cause. through the operation of pulsing relay 15, thetransmission of a dial tone over the tip conductor to the call ng subscrber to indicate that the circuits are now ready for transmission of dialpulses and for the deposit of a coin to enable the subscriber to makethe call and in payment for the first conversational period.

The next operation. therefore, on the part of the ca ling subscriberwill he to deposit a coin in the coin equipment 13 to enable him todial. The operating magnet of this equipment has been marked 32 and acoin has en indicat d at 39. The deposit of the co n opens the shuntcircuit around the dial pulsing contacts so that the subscriber is nowable to operate the dial. to interrupt the cirit o the pn sincr relav15. Tt should be noted also that the de osit of the coin causes a groundto be connected to a circuit through the coin marrnct 32 to the ring:conductor of the trunk (T for the purpose of enahlino' the control overthis magnet to collect or refund coins as will hereinafter be described.

The subscriber now dials the number of th desired subscriber and pulsingrelav 15 resnonds o establish the connection. The pulses of the firstigit operate the selector 10 to select the connector 11 wh ch in turn isoperated by pu ses o the second and third digits to select the desiredsubscriber at 12. The onnector 11 on finding the line of'the des redsubscriber is operated to transmit sienalling current over this l ne tocall the subscriber. As stated. selector 10 and connector 11 may be ofany well-known design and their operations are therefore not describedin detail. It is sufficient to state that when the called subscriber at12 answers current over the tip and ring conductors of the trunk CT isreversed.

This reversal of current causes the operation of the polarized relay 16.It should also be mentioned at this time that after the seizure ofselector 10, a ground is connected in any well-known manner to thesleeve conductor to cause the operation of relay 17. This relay closesan obvious circuit for the operation of relay 21 which, in operating,closes a connection to ground for the sleeve conductor of the linefinder 4 to maintain it busy, as is well-known in the art. Relay 16, inoperating, closes a circuit for the operation of relay 18 over a circuitfrom battery, winding of relay 18, left-hand armature and back contactof relay 19, armature and front contact of relay 16 to the abovementioned ground on the sleeve conductor of the line finder 4 applied atthe upper inner armature and front contact of relay 21. Relay 18 inoperating, provides a locking circuit for itself through its lower innerarmature and front contact to the ground on the sleeve conductorindependent of the original connection through the armature and frontcontact of relay 16. Relay 18 in operating, also reverses the tip andring conductors towards the calling subscribers line to cause therelease of relay 16 and for other purposes of no importance inconnection with this invention. Another circuit closed by the operationof relay 18 is one for the operation of relay 19 from battery, windingof this relay, contacts and inner lower armature of relay 18 to theground on the sleeve conductor. This relay in operating, opens theoriginal circuit for relay 18 and closes at its right-hand armature andfront contact a circuit for operations relating to the collection ofcoins as will be hereinafter described.

The operation of relay 16 also closes a circuit for the operation ofrelay 20 from batterv. windine of this relay and its uppermake-before-brcak contacts. armature and front contact of relav 16 tothe ground on the sleeve conductor. Relay 20 in operating, provides aocking circuit for itself throuarli its upper armature and front contactto the c'roupd on t e sle ve independent ot the orim in l circuit closedb the o era tion of rclav 16.

The relay 17. which was operated previously. in eoniunction with theoperation of re- ]av 20. now c oses a circuit for the operat on of relay22 as follows: from battery. windine: of relav 22. inner lower armatureand front contact of relay 20 to ground at the armature and front.contact of relay 17. Relay 2 in on ratin". loses a locking! circuit foritself through its upper inner armature and front contact to the groundat the armature and front contact of relay 17 independent of theoriginal circuit closed by the operation of relay 20. Relay 22 alsocloses 7 a connection to ground for the start lead to the interrupterequipment 23 to start it to function to transmit ground impulses throughthe lead 24 of the selector bank 25. This bank andtwo others, 26 and 27,form parts of an ordinary step-bystep switch controlled by the steppingmagnet 28 and are employed for the control of the collection of coins onthe time basis as will hereinafter be described. The brushes of thesebanks are shown in normal position.

Relating further to the operation of relay 22, a circuit is completed bythe operation of this relay forthe stepping magnet 28 to advance thebrushes of the banks 25, 26, and 27 at the rate at which the pulses arereceived over lead 24. The interrupter equipment 23 maybe so arrangedthat a connection to ground is established over lead 24: for a shortinterval every eighteenth second. The

stepping magnet will therefore be operated to advance the brushes onestep everv eighteenth second by acircuit from battery, through thewinding of stepping magnet 28, right-hand armature and front contact ofrelay 19, lower inner armature and front contact of relay 22, brush ofbank 25, the zero or normal terminal of this bank. through lead 24. toground at the interrupter equipment 23. When the brush of bank 23 comesto rest on the first terminal the second impulse is transmitted overlead 24 which is connected to the first 18 terminals including thenormal terminal. The stepping magnet will therefore be operated 18 t mesand the brushes of the switch advanced to terminal number 18. In thisposition, the stepping magnet 28 passes out of control of theiiiterrupter equipment 23. and'a circuit is now established frombattery. through the step- 28 and the circuit.he'reinhefore ping magnetbrush of bank 25, the eighteenth traced, to the terminal. upper innerarmature and back contact of relay 30, lamp 33 to vground. Lamp which islocated adjacent to jack 5 at the operators position at A. is ow lightedto indicate that approximately five m nutes have passed. This representsthe period of time allowed for conversation, and for which the depositedcoinconstitutes payment.

The operator at A notici o the h d lamp 33, now'inserts the plus: 34 ofcord 7 into jack 5 and connects her telephone set throughthe cord to thetip and rinc conduc tors of trunk CT. Relay 30. which is now operatedover an obvious circuit through the sleeve of jack 5 and plug 3 1, opensthe circuit for lamp 33-and closes a circuit for the operation of thestep-by-step switch to move its brushes into'the nineteenth position.The circuit for the stepping magnet 28 in this case,

will extend from battery, winding of the stepping magnet, contacts ofrelay 19 as hereinbefore traced, brush of bank 25, eighteenth terminal,upper inner armature and front contact of relay 30 to interrupter 36through which a ground is made and intcrrupted at the rate of 120 timesper minute. \Vith the brushes in the nineteenth position, relay 31 isoperated over a circuit from" battery, through the winding of thisrelay, second upper armature and front contact of relay 22, brushof bank27, through the nineteenth terminal of this bank to ground. Relay 31 inoperating, transmits coin collect current to the coin eqni nnentmagnet32 over a circuit from the coin collect battery 38, lower outer armatureand. front contact of relay 20, nineteenth terminal of bank 26, thebrush of this bank, through the upper and lower inner armatures andfront contacts of relay 31, and the tip and ring conductors through theline finder 4 over the calling subscribers line to ground through magnet32. Magnet 32 is thereby operated in a direction to collect the coin inpayment for the first conversation period of 5 minutes.

Relay 31 in operating, also closes a circuit for the operation ofstepping magnet 28 from battery winding of this magnet, lower outerarmature and front contact of relay 31 to ground at interrupter 36 atthe next connection of ground tl'ierethrough. The stepping magnet newsteps the brushes to the twentieth position and as the ground atinterrupter 36 is connected once every half second. relay 31 will remainoperated for onehalf second which is suflicient to insure the operationof magnet 32. With the brushes in the twentieth position relay 31 willrelease 1-100 4-0 and 41 The operator may now inform the callingsubscriber that the first five-minute period of conversation has passedand that in case the conversation is to be continued, another coin mustbe deposited. When the calling subscrib r deposits the coin the operatorat A may observe this in the usual manner but in case she has notobserved that the coin was deposited, she may associate her own coincollect equipment with the cord and operate the. coin magnet 32 torefund or deposit the coin, as required.

If the parties desire to terminate the call at this time. the operatorstays on the connection until the usual disconnect signal is receivedwhen'she removes theplug3l from jack 5. The stepping switch is therebyreturned to normal fromthe twentieth position due to the fact that relay22-is released in a manner hereinafter described. The circuit forthestepping magnet 28 in this case will extend from battery, through thewinding of the stepping magnet and its armature and back contact, uppermiddle armature and back contact of relay 22, brush of bank 27, thetwentieth and twenty-firstterminals of this bank, upper outer armatureand back contact of relay 22, to ground. The operator remains on theline in order to prevent the step-by-step switch from s .rting a secondcycle of operation on returning to normal which would be the case if therelay is released before relay If on the other hand itdccided tocontinue the conversation the calling subscriber deposits 9. second coinfor a second period of live minutes of conversation. The operatorreceives the usual indication of this fact and removes the plug 3% fromac 5. Relay 30 is then released and the stepping switch returned tonormal position by the closure of a circuit from battery, winding ofmagnet 28. right-hand armature and Front contact of relay 19, lowerinner arn'iature and front contact of relay 2'2, brush or bank 25,twentieth and twenty-first terminal )i this bank, lower inner armatureand back ctmtact oi. relay 30, to ground at interrupter 3b. Due to thefact that relay 22 maintained operated at this time the stepping switchwill now proceed to go through a second cycle of operations to measurethe second conversation period. The circuit closed in the normalposition of the brush of bank for the stepping magnet 28 moves theswitch from normal as hereinbefore described when relay 22 was firstoperated. At the end of the second period of conversation, lamp 323 isagain lighted, and, if the conversation is to be continued further, theoperations described above are repeated until the cminection isreleased.

Should the calling party refuse to deposit the coin and, insist oncontinuing to talk, the operator will insert the plug of another cordinto jack (l. in this case relay 42 is operated over the sleeve circuitto separate the two parties tclephonically by opening the tip and ringconnections through the upper and lowor outer armaturcs and bacl;contacts of relay 42. The operator is now connected through this secondcord by the operation of these armatures of relay -12 to enable her totalk to either party without being interrupt ed by the other party. Theoperator talks to the calling party through cord 7 by operating herlistening key in this cord or to the called party through the cordconnected to jack (3 by operating her listening key in this cord. Jack 6is connected through condensers and 41 to trunk CT.

Vhen the calling party hangs up at the end of the conversation. relay 17is released due to the removal of ground from the sleeve of selector 10on the release of the selector 10 and connector 11 in the usual manner.Relay 17 in releasing closes a circuit for the 0peration of relay 9 frombattery through the winding of this relay, upper outer armature andfront contact of relay 21 to ground at the armature and back contact ofrelay17. Relay 9 in operating establishes at its armatures and frontcontacts a connection from the collect battery 38 and the lower outerarmature and front contact of relay 20 to the tip and ring conductorsleading to the calling subscribers line to cause the operation of magnetin the coin equipment 13. This causes the collection of the coindeposited for the last period of conversation. It should be noted thatthe relay 21 is slow to release, so that it will remain operated for asufficient period to permit the relay 9 to operate after relay 17 isreleased, the time of operation of relay 9 being determined by the slowrelease characteristics of relay 21. It should be noted that relay 21when it operated applied at its upper armature and front contact aconnection to ground for the sleeve lead to the line tinder. This is forthe purpose of maintaining the line finder operated after the callingsubscriber has returned his receiver to the switchhook which wouldordinarily cause the line tinder to release. The line finder must bemaintained operated long enough to permit collect battery current topass over the subscribers line to operate the coin e nipment. Relay 22is also released by the rtilcase of relay 17 and the stepping switchthereby returned to normal position, as hereinbefoie described.

The return of the switch takes place regardless of whether the lastconversation period has expired or not. I t the period has not expiredthe stepping magnet will be controlled by the circuit completed toground at the upper oute armature and back cont-act of relay 22, throughbank 27, the upper middle armature and back contact of relay 22, and theinterrupting contacts of magnet 28. The interrupter equipment 23 willconsequently become inelfective. to further control the stepping magnetas the circuit therefor is opened at the lower inner armature and frontcontact of relay 22. If the period has just expired, the stepping switchwill be in position 19 and the ground on the nineteenth terminal of bank27 will when relay 22 is released. cause the magnet 28 to be operated tostep the switch into position 20 from which it will he returned tonormal as hereinafter described.

If the called subscriber 12 does not answer or the calling subscriberabandons the call before the called subscriber answers the call, thecoin magnet 32 is operated to re Fund the. coin. In this case, the relay16 will not be operated and thus preventing the operation of relays 20,18 and 19. However, as relay 17 is operated, the operation of relay 21takes place. lVhen, therefore, the calling subscriber releases theconnection and relay 17 is released current from the refund battery 44will be transmitted through the lower outer armature and back contact ofrelay 20 through the front contacts and armatures of relay 9 to causethe magnet 32 to operate to refund the coin deposited as hereinbeforedescribed to establish a connection. It should also be noted that asrelay 19 is not operated relay 22 will not operate and the equipment forcollecting coins on a time basis will be prevented from being actuated.Neither can the operator at A exercise any control over the collectionor refunding of coins under these circumstances. This is necessary asall that is required is to return the coin that the calling subscriberdeposited to enable him to make the call.

It should be understood that, while the invention has been described inconnection with but one disclosure it is not limited thereby, and thatthe invention may be applied to many other circuit arrangements withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof and that the invention should belimited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone system, a calling station, a coin collecting devicethereat, a called subscribers station, means including a trunk forestablishing a connection'between said stations, an operators cord,means for connecting said cord with the trunk, and means associated withthe trunk and responsive to the connection of the cord with the trunkfor actuating the coin collecting device a predetermined interval afterthe called subscriber has answered the call.

2. In a telephone system, a calling station, a coin collecting devicethereat, a called subscribers station, means including a trunk forestablishing aconnection between said stations, a signal for said trunk,means associated with said trunk for actuating said signal atpredetermined intervals, an operators cord, means for connecting saidcord to the trunk, and means responsive to said connection of the cordto the trunk for disabling the signal and for actuating the coincollecting device. I

3. In a telephone system, a calling station, a coin collecting andrefunding device thereat, a called subscribers station, means includinga trunk for establishing a connection between said stations, meansindividual to said truns and responsive when the called subscriber hangsup his receiver for actuating said device to collect the coin depositedtherein and for refunding the coin if the calling party abandons thecall, and independent means associated with said trunk for collectingthe coin a predetermined interval after the called subscriber answersthe call and for repeatedly collecting coins at succeeding predeterminedintervals as long as the connection remains.

4. In a telephone system, a calling station,

a coin collecting device thereat, a'called station, means including atrunk for establishing a connection betweensaid stations, operatorscords, means for connecting cords to the trunk at two diflerent points,means responsive to the connection of a cordat one-point to the trunkfor actuating the coin collecting device a predetermined interval after.the called party has answered the call, and meansas sociated with thetrunk and responsive to the connection or a cord at another point to thetrunk. for disconnecting the two stations teiephonically but notreleasing the connection therebetween.

5. In a telephone system, a calling subscribersstation, a calledsubscribers station, means including a trunk line for establishing aconnection between said stations, a signal associated with said trunk, atiming device, means for starting the operation of said timing devicewhen the called subscriber answers the call, and means for actuatingsaid signal under control of said timing device a predetermined intervalafter the starting of this operation. i

6. In a telephone system, a calling subscribers station, a coincollecting device thereat, a called subscribers station, means includinga trunk line for establishing a connection between said stations, asignal associated with said trunk, a timing device actuated to start itsoperation when the called subscriber answers the call, means foractuating said signal under control of said timing device apredetermined interval after the starting of its operation, and meansfor thereafter disabling the signal and actuating the coin collectingdevice under control of said timing device.

7. In a telephone system, a calling station, a coin collecting devicethereat, a called subscribers station, means for establishing aconnection between said stations, a signal, means for operating saidsignal a predetermined interval after the called subscriber answers thecall, and means operative after said predetermined interval has elapsedfor disabling said signal and for actuating said coin collecting device.

8. In a telephone system, a calling station, a coin collecting device, acalled subscribers station, a cord circuit, means including a trunk andexcluding the cord circuit for establishing a connection between saidstations, a signal associated with said trunk, means for actuating saidsignal a predetermined interval after the connection has beenestablished between said stations and the called subscriber has answeredthe call, means for connecting said cord circuit to said connectionbetween said stations and means responsive to this connection of thecord circuit for disabling the signal and actuating the coin collectingdevice.

9. In a telephone system, a calling station,

a called subscribers station, means including a trunk for establishing aconnection between said stations, an operators position, a signal atsaid operators position associated with said trunk and means responsiveto the called subscriber answering a call for actuating said signal apredetermined time thereafter.

10. In a telephone system, a calling subseribers station, a coincollecting device themat, :1 called subscribers station, means includima trunk for establishing a conneotion lietween said stations, anoperators pmition, a signal at said operators position associated withsaid trunk, means responsive to the called subscriber answering the callfor actuating said signal a predetermined inter val thereafter, andmeans operative when said redetermincd interval has elapsed fordisabling said signal and actuating the coin oollecting device.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specificationthis second day of April, 1929.

OTTO A. FRIEND. WILLIAM J. HEITSMITH.

